Breakwater Park regulars have mixed feelings about weekend closure – Kingston
The scene was quiet at Breakwater Park Friday afternoon and not just because of the cooler temperatures. The area is a little less attractive now that fences have been erected.
Gates around Breakwater Park and the pier will close from 8:00 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. Thursday to Sunday.
“It’s unfortunate,” says Acting Kingston Police Chief Scott Fraser. “It affects the whole community but we just have to get through this time.”
He says the park and pier have become just too tempting as party spots for returning students. On a recent evening, about 1,500 young people crowded into the area at night, prompting a nuisance complaint.
“We know that at the beginning of the school year, when our post-secondary students come back, things sometimes get a little hectic. »
Some pier regulars, like Sandy Sousa, are frustrated by the closure of a space they’re used to accessing at any time.
“It is closed to a certain population without taking into account the other people affected,” explains Sousa.
But others, like Julie Douglas, believe that, given the stakes, the inconvenience is worth it.
“I’m a mom and I think all those things are at the forefront, you want the kids to be safe, you want them to have fun, but safety first and foremost. so if that’s what needs to be done, I’m all for it.
Fraser says police will work with the city and bylaws to keep an eye on the pier, in addition to ensuring all other weekend activities go off without a hitch.
“We’re going to be watching and we’re hoping to see people doing things right. That’s the objective. We want to catch you doing something good and all our agents keep the ink in their pens.
And keep parties out of the park at least after dark.
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